Plaquemines LNG gets DOE non-FTA export approval

Venture Global Plaquemines LNG LLC has received US Department of Energy approval for exports of domestically produced LNG to any country with which the US does not have a free trade agreement but with which trade is not prohibited. The company’s 20 million-tonne/year liquefaction plant will be on the Mississippi River, in Plaquemines Parish, La., about 20 miles from the Port of New Orleans.

Under the order, Plaquemines LNG will have authority to export up to 3.4 bcfd of natural gas as LNG. The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorized Plaquemines LNG to site, construct, and operate the plant on Sept. 30.

The plant will use 18 1.2 million-tpy liquefaction blocks developed in two phases and four 200,000-cu m storage tanks. It will also include as many as three marine loading berths capable of receiving LNG carriers up to 185,000 cu m capacity. Plaquemines LNG plans to begin commercial operations of Phase 1 in late 2022 and Phase 2 in 2023.

Including today’s announcement, DOE has approved 38.06 bcfd of exports in the form of LNG and compressed natural gas to non-FTA countries. Of this approved amount, about 15 bcfd of export capacity is in various stages of operation and construction across eight large-scale projects. Among the LNG export projects currently under construction is Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass project, which recently reached a final investment decision after having received its final regulatory approvals from FERC and DOE earlier this year.

The US is the top natural gas producer in the world at nearly 92 bcfd. LNG exports from the US have reached 5 bcfd.